Ancient lava flows, deep gorges, and spectacular waterfalls make Copper Falls one of Wisconsin’s most scenic parks.The 3,068-acre Copper Falls State Park, located in northern Wisconsin just four miles north of Mellen, is part of the Penokee-Gogebic Range. Billions of years later those mountains have decreased to 1,000-foot hills covered with dense forests, cool ravines, narrow gorges, and beautiful waterfalls. Much of the park’s natural beauty is a result of flowing lava that formed into erosion-resistant columnar basalt.The highlight of the park is a dramatic, narrow, two mile-long rocky river gorge where the Bad River and its tributary, the Tyler Forks River converge and form several scenic waterfalls. Copper Falls, the park’s namesake, rushes through a sheer rock wall gorge tumbling 40-feet and downstream Brownstone Falls at Tyler’s Fork tumbles 30-feet into the Bad River. The Bad River runs a meandering course northward to Lake Superior penetrating scenic hemlock and maple stands. On either side of the swift-flowing water, the walls of the gorge rise 60-100 feet.